Harness



(No MoaeL J. R. PHELPS.

HARNESS.

No. 438,360. Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. PHELPS, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,360, dated October 14,1890.

Application filed February l2, 1890. Serial Nc. 340,176. (No model.)

To all whom it' may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES R. PHELPs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, Sacramento county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Spreaders for Gaiting Horses; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a device which I term a spreaden It is applicable for the purpose of giving a trotting, pacing, or running horse a proper gait, and causing him to spread the hind feet when traveling, so as not to interfere or overreach.

In consists of a framework supported from the back or hips of the animal and connections from said frame-work to the hind legs of the horse with such an elastic tension as will cause the animal to travel with the hind feet more widely separated than it would otherwise do.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure l is a side view of a horse having my device attached. Fig. 2 is a rear view showing its application.

A A are two arms or branches, which may be made of steel or other suitable material, these arms being attached to a central bar B, which extends along the back of the horse, and which has its front end properly attached to the girth or surcingle, and the rear end may be connected with the crupper-strap, the object of these connections being to retain the bar in place and prevent it and the arms A from shifting or tilting.

The arms A are preferably made elastic, and are so constructed as to be supported from the hips or from the back upon each side` of the backbone in such a manner as not to bring a pressure upon adelicate or tender part of the back or hips. These arms curve over the hips, as shown more plainly in Fig. 2, and have hinged or swiveled joints, as shown at C, to which the extensions A are pivoted. These joints are so placed with reference to the hip-joints of the animal that the extensions A will be allowed to swing forward and back, having a motion approximately parallel with the motions of the animals legs. The length of these extensions is such as to carry their lower ends down upon each side of the animals hind legs, and they are provided with openings or attachments for the straps D. These straps are iitted to pass around the hind legs of the animal at any suitable point and clasp the legs loosely. The straps maybe properly padded or protected, so as not to chafe the legs or prevent free action of the horse in traveling. These straps may be made of elastic or non-elastic webbing or other suitable. material, and are so connected with the arms A A that they will pull upon the inside of the animals legs, so as to cause the animal to travel with the legs farther apart than it would otherwise do.

By reason of the joint C it will be manifest that the extensions A will be allowed to swing parallel with the movements of the legs; but at the same time the elastic tension of the arms will be maintained at all times upon the legs. These arms might be made rigid instead of elastic, and the webbing-straps D could be made elastic, so as to produce, essentially, the same results; but I have preferred to make the arms themselves elastic as being the better mechanical construction.

This device may be applied to horses without any other harness upon them and the horse turned loose and allowed to travel about the pasture at will, or it may be applied in conjunction with harness and vehicle at work on the road, the apparatus acting constant-ly upon the legs, so as to cause the horse to travel with the hind legs separated, so as to prevent interfering and overreaching and to other wise improve the action.

This frame-work may be finished in any suitable or desirable style, either polished and nickel-plated or covered with leather or any suitable covering material.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A device or spreader havingabarB, adapted to extend centrally along the horses back and connected with the sureingle and erupper, canse the horse to travel with his legs apart,

in combination with arms or branches hzwsubstantially as herein described. 1o ing swiveled or joinred extensions mid loops In witness whereof I have hereunto set my or straps adapted to be passed around the hand.

5 hind legs of the horse and connected with JAMES R. PHETiPS.

the lower ends of the branches, said arms or Witnesses: branches being elastic and adapted to exert S. H. NOURSE,

a side pull upon the legs of the horse and ll. QLEE. 

